Electric switch.



C. I. KLEIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

yAPPUCATION man Nov. 20. 1911.

1,160,620. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

vices.

' 5, 6, 7 8 and 9 which assist in this movement.A

FUNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE..

CHARLES J. KLEIN, .OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO'THE CUTLER-HAMMER MFG. GO., 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches,

of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specifica-tion.

My invention relates to electric switch de- It has among its objects to provide an improvpd electric switch device which is adapted to control a plurality of circuits or branches pf a single circuit. l

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved electric switch device especially adapted to use in connection with electric lamps arranged in clusters, wherein,

upon the movement ofa pull chain, the

lamps may be successively cut in or out of,

circuit as desired with a quick snap action.l

Other objects and advantages of my improved construction will hereinafter appear.

`The accompanying drawings show one formwhich my invention may assume in practice. My invention is not, however, limitedto thisembodiment but may assume other forms.

' In the views of these drawings Figure 1 shows a central sectional View of this forniv of switch mechanism mounted in one form Vof support. Fig. 2 shows a transverse sec- "tional' view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

shows! a'transverse sectional View on ine 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. t shows a detail view ber 1 to change the circuit connectionsl through a plurality of stationary contacts In a preferred form the switch mechanism is mounted between a plurality of insulating bases 10 and l1. The base 10 is pref- Specicaton of Letters Patent:

-ery of itslower surface.

Patented N oV. 16, 1915.

Application filed November 20, 1911. Serial No.` 661,254.

erably substantially ,cup shaped as shown, and arranged to receive one or more screws or bolts 12 in suitable recesses in the same.

These bolts 12, in a preferred form, extend through the bases 10 and 11 as shown in Fig. 1, and have their lower threaded ends protruding from the lower surface from the base 11 so that they may carry a bushing supportingframe 13. In a preferred form a threaded bushing 14 is riveted in the lower part ofthe frame 13 and this `bushing carries a threaded nut 15 adapted lto hold an inclosing casing 16 in such a position that it' inclosesand protects the swltch mechanism. Obviously, this casing .may be of' any desired form. In a preferred construction the. casing 16 is formed of sheet metal and is provided with a suitable insulating lining 17.

As shown in Fig. 3, the operating member 1 is preferably pivoted upon the screw 12 vand is connected to the pull chain 2 in a suitable manner so that itmay oscillate about the shaft when the chain'is pulled. In a preferred form a coiled spring 18 is wound about the shaft or screw 12 and is so arranged that one of its ends 19 abuts against the inner wall of the base 11, while its other .end 20 extends outward into the path of the operating member 1 and serves to return this operating member to its initial position after each operation. In a preferred form the operatingl member 1 is also provided with a central arc shape slot 21 arranged -in ,a laterally extending portion 22 and adapted to receive the. upper end of the shaft 3, and

g to limit the movement of the operatingmember by the engagement of this shaft or spindle with the ends of the slot. The free end 'of the operating'member 1 is preferably provided with a projection or tooth 23 arranged to engage the teeth of a ratchet 24. In a preferred form the ratchet-24.- is substantially disk shaped and is provided with teeth having a heel and a comparatively long slanting face, formed upon an overturned flange extending around the periphs illustrated in Fig. 1, this ratchet is fixed to the shaft or .spindle 3 so that when the operating member 1 is oscillatedby the movement ofthe pull chain to cause its tooth 23 to engage the teeth 24 of the ratchet, this ratchet will be rotated and carry with it the spindle or shaft 3.

The movable contact member 4 is preferably fixed to the lower end of the shaft 3 on the under side of the base 11 as shown in Fig. 1. In a preferred form the shaft 8 ings may be formed of a suitable insulating' material.` ln a preferred form the movable contact member 4 is rformed partly of conducting` material and partly of insulating material, and is substantially star shaped as shown in IFig. 2, the star shaped portions being separated by an insulated flange 27. Obviously, there may be any desired number of points on the star.v In a preferred form one-half of the lower star shaped section is formed of conducting material as shown in F ig. 2, while the other half is formed ,of insulating material. The star shaped section upon the upper half 'of the;v movable contact member is preferably formed of one piece of conducting material. If desired, the lower star shaped conducting section may be connected to the upper conducting section by means of suitable rivets or screws 28 extending through the insulating sleeve 27. l

In the construction shown l have illustra-ted llive stationary contact members engaging the movable contact member 4.

Obviously, any number of contact members may be used, depending upon the style of star or movable Contact member which is used. In the construction shown, l preferably so arrange the contact members that the contact n member 5 engages the upper conducting portion of the movable contact member above the flange 27, while the contact members 6, 7, 8 and 9 engage the star shaped section beneath the flange 27. ln a preferred form, all of these contacts are resilientand are provided with angularly bent free ends adapted to engageons side of the points on the movable contact member 4 and extend part way up the adjacent points. |The opposite ends are preferably bent and enlarged and attached to terminal members 29 carried upon the under surface of the base 11 by any suitable means, such, for instance, as' rivets 30. ln a preferred form the terminal members 29 are provided with lugs 81 on their opposite ends arranged to receive binding screws 32, Vand these terminal members are located around the periphery ofthe base 11 in substantially the manner shown in Fig. 2. In order that the conductors may be brought in from the top of the base 10 to the several binding screws, the base members are preferably provided with a plurality of registering vertically extending grooves 33 in their outer surfaces which lead down to the binding screws.

lt is obvious that the pull chain 2 may be is provided with a plurality of projections or lugs 34having a slot between them, arranged to receive the last ball of the chain or the knot in the end of the cord, where a cord is used instead of a chain. This chain or cord is preferably brought down through a suitable recess 35 in the bottom of the base 11 located substantially lat right angles to.. the normal position of the operating member 1, andis arranged so that the end of the chain may be readily-brought out through the bushing 14 in such a position that it may be readily accessible. It is further evident that the switch mechanism may be inclosed'in any form of base if desired and may be mounted upon any suitable support and in any desired position, and may be placed at any suitable distance from the electrical device to be controlled by it.

When it is desired to operate a switch mechanism constructed as shown in the drawings, all that it is necessary to do is to pull the chain or cord 2. Assuming that the switch mechanism is in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and,l the operating member iwould` then be in its initial 'position and all of the contact members 6, 7 8, and 9 would be in engagement with the insulating portion o-f the movable Contact member 4. rllhus all of thev branch circuits would be open. When the operating mem- .ber- 1 however, is moved about its pivot 2 and against the action of the coiled spring 18, it actuates the ratchet 24 to rotate the shaft 3, which in turn rotates the movable Contact member 4. Each of the star shaped points on the` movable contact member 4 simultaneously"-moves past'one of the resilient contact members and these Contact members simultaneously reach a position at the tip of each point. At this moment all resistance to the movement of the movable contact member is removed and the movable contact memberis rotated with a quick snap action by the impetus given it as the Vends of the resilient Contact members slide actuated the operating member actuates the ratchet mechanism which moves the movable contact member part way, and that the resilient contacts complete this movement at the same time, throwing the operating kmember out. of engagement, so that the spring may return it to its initial position. Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in'Fig. 2 when the pull chain or cord 2 is pulled downward, the movable contact member 4f is rotated to the left or counterclockwise, with the result that while the stationary contact 5 would always remain in` circuit, the contacts 9, 8, 7 and 6 would be respectively successively cut in circuit, so that the circuit connected in the same would be successively brought into use. Obviously, as the movable contact member continues to rotate in the same direction, the circuit through these devices would be broken successively in the same order.

By my improved construction I have provided an exceedingly simple and rugged mechanism wherein one or more circuits or branches of a single circuit are made or broken with a quick snap action. -Further, by my improved arrangement of operating mechanism, I have provided an exceedingly simple mechanism which may be very cempactly arranged and which is capable of being manufactured at small expense. Further, by my improved arrangement and construction of the parts, I am able to provide a very compact structure which may be conveniently located wherever desired and a switch mechanism which may be very conveniently actuated when desired. Further by my improved arrangement of contact parts, I am able to provide a switch mecha- -msm in which there is little or no sparking at the contacts and the contacts are of a type which is well adapted to withstand long use inservice. Further, by the improved arrangement and construction of the contact parts, these contact parts themselves assist by reason of their resiliency in making and breaking the circuit. Further, by the use of a switch mechanism of my improved construction, I am able to provide a device wherein the contact parts are kept clean and bright se that there is no danger of clogging the same in such a manner as to interfere l .with the operation of the switch. It is obvious that my improved device may be connected to any desired number of branches of al circuit, or maybe adapted to control any number of circuits.

lVhile I have in this application, for purposes of illustration, described one speclf'ic form which my invention may assume 1n practice, my invention is not limited to this ferm, but may assumevother forms without departing from its spirit or the purview of plurality of stationary resilient contacts-having convex extremities biased against the periphery of said member and normally of resilient stationary contacts in differentV axial planes and having convex extremities biased against the periphery of said member and cofacting therewith to resist initial movement thereof by said mechanism and to complete movement thereof with a snap action independently of said mechanism.

3. In an electric switch, in combination, a rotatable lcontacter for controlling a plurality of circuits,v said contacter having a star shaped periphery divided axially into two sections, one section having acontinuous conducting part and the other having equidimensional conducting and non-conducting parts, operating means te rotate said contacter, a resilient stationary contact having a convex extremity biased against said first mentioned section of said contacter, and a plurality of resilient stationary contacts having convex extremities biased against said other section of said contacter, all of said contacts coperating with the star.

shaped periphery of Said contacter to resist initial movement thereof by said means and to complete such movement with a snap action independently of said means, said plurality of contacts successively electrically engaging and disengaging said contacter without interrupting the electrical engage.

ment between the latter andy said continued conducting part.

4. In an electric switch, the combination of an insulating base, a ratchet mechanism carried on one surface thereof, a movable contact member provided with a plurality vof conducting and non-conducting sections carried on another surface of said base and having its spindleconnected to said ratchet mechanism, 'and a plurality of resilient radially located contact members pressing upon said movable contact member to successively engage one of said conducting sec-- tions when said movable contact member is moved.

In combination, a two part base, members for holding the parts thereof together, a ratchet mechanism housed in a chamber between said parts and having its operating member pivoted on one of said members, a

leo

movable contact member carried on another surface of said base, a plurality of radially arranged contacts carried by said base adjacent said movable contact member, a pull chain for operating said ratchet mechanism extending through said base, a bushing for guiding said Vpull chain, a bracket carried on the ends of said members and carrying said bushing, and a casing inclosing said base and attached to said bushing.

6. ln an electric switch, in combination, a rotatable star-Shaped member divided into two'substantially equal conducting and nonconducting circumferential sections, means to impart an initial rotary movement to Licencesaid member, and a plurality of resilient contacts acting onv the circumference thereof t0 successively engage said conducting section and to alternately resist and impel rotation of said member when the latter is turned, whereby rotation thereof is completed with a quick snap action.

In Witness whereof, l have hereunto -subscribed my name in the presence of two Witmesses.

CHARLES J. KLEN.

Witnesses 2 H. L. ROCKWELAL, GEO. HAYtNEs. 

